The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-12-15
Belfield'S Adventure !
How The Maj" Played It On The
Chicago Beats"

In the spring of 1882 Mai" Bel
field, of Pierre, Oak, had an adven-
ture in Chicago of which he has al
ways felt rather proud. l met him in
the caboose Of a Northwestern freight
train out between Blunt and Rous-
seau while he was returning from the
Garden City.
"When a plain-looking old bloke
like me goes to Chicago" said the
Major, ''he's got to keep his eyes
peeled"
''Did they try to work you, Maior?"
''Took me for yearling," he re-
piled, as he whetted his pocket-knife
on his bootleg. 'Picked me up for
pilgrim from Oshkosh. Lowed
was on my bridal trip, l reckon"
"But you were too much for them,
Major?"
''They tried to drive me with
straight bit, but / laid down with 'em
in the shafts, an afterwards kicked
the top off'n their wag'n," he contin-
ued. It might be incidentally men,
toned that the Major was proprietor
of the River Front Livery Barn and
Corral. when / got through buck
in | was the only live critter on the
grounds"
But how did it happen, anyhow"
"W'y, it was like this: / was walk
in long street, with the buildin's
loomin' up like cou't-houses on both
sides, sorter tryin' to see my way out,
when a slick-lookin' cuss, with soft
clothes on an big watch-chain, come
up an sticks out his hand, an says
he: "W'y, Mr.. Brown, how are you?
Thunder But I'm highly glad to
see you! When'd you come down, and
how's Aunt 'Melia and all the folks?'
an all the time he a-workin' my arm
up'n' down 'sif he thought I was a
pump an he had jes' poured two
quarts of warm water in my head to
prime me. let him pump, an felt
round under my coat and found my
gun was there yet, an my belt under
my vest was full O. cartridges, an /
could feel my knife yet in my boot
leg, so says [: Who be you?'
"'W'y don't you know me?" says
he, I'm Seth Green, old Abner Green's
son, who used to go to school at the
Shake Hollow school-house. | know
you We'll, then,' says I, If that's
the case, who be Ip' You're 'Squar'
Doty, of Oshkosh says he. No, I
ain't,' says I. You ain'tp' says he,
an his lower jaw began to fall. Then
who be you?' My name is David
Rogers, an I'm from Sheboygan.'
oh, ah,' says he, L beg your pardon
mistakes will happen. Down for
pleasure, l presumed No, not ex-
ac'ly,' says I, I brought down bout
two thousand to invest in agricultu-
raj machinery 'Hah? Hey?' says
he. "Oh, excuse me ag'in-I got a
very important engagement an must
hurry long He went off walkin'
fast, an sorter soldiered long look
in for s'loon where l could go. in
an feel comfor able an at home.
I'D gone mebby couple o blocks
when | see another smooth-lookin'
young man comm straight for me.
He stopped off a couple o steps and
says he to himself: Yes, it must be
him-bless me, it is!' Then he began
to work my arm. What's the mat
ter?' says I. I'm so glad to see you,'
says he. You're Dave Rogers, of
Sheboygan, my fathers ole friendr
Who be you?' says I. My name is
Asa Smith-you must remember me-
says he. o, yes, that's so,' says 1. L
remember you well. How you gittin'
along?' First rate, first rate. Mister
Rogers says he. I'm comm up to
old Sheboygan to see all the folks
bout the Fourth of July. Would
you mind takin' short walk?' No.
says |. So we walked along down for
mile or SO. We met another young
man, who he introduced as friend O.
his'n, an we all had a very pleasant
time They was very handy p'intin'
out prominent buildin's an such like,
an treated ev'y once in while, l al
'ays, of course, takin' meller an high
priced drinks. I Ijedge they irregated
me five dollars worth. l also borrow
ed jack-knife of one of 'em to cut
off some terbacker and forgot an put
it in my pocket, an while l was ex-
aminin' curious ring the other was
shown me | slipped it on my finger
an then discovered / couldn't git it off
'thout soap. We KEEP a-goin' till we
got down where the houses look pert
ty ornery, an | thought the air smelt
jes' a little old, but I didn't say moth
ing. After awhile we got down on a
little narrer street where there didn't
pear to be no folks to speak of an
they stopped fore a tough-lookin'
house an says Asa Smith: Uncle
Dave come in here an see Eli Jones,
another old Sheboygan boy %, yes,'
says the other, of course, Eli will be
jes' wild to see Uncle Dave Rogers
from Sheboygan.' Then 1 stopped
an kinder hitched up on my pants an
looked 'em both right in the eye for
,hont q noinnto Il mas cr;tt;r, a;nLt,r